Heed prevailing factors in vaccine safety study
So, while the Indian Council of Medical Research claims to have conclusively proved the lack of a direct link between Covid vaccines and sudden deaths, other studies have relayed confusing signals on the vaccines' safety for cardiovascular health. As the scientific community pursues an accurate proof, the importance of evidence-based public health measures cannot be ignored. This must include focusing on the role played by underlying health issues, genetic predisposition and risky lifestyle choices in unexplained deaths. And that—as much as the safety of vaccines—needs urgent attention for a healthier India.
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The Hindu
33 minutes ago
- The Hindu
No direct correlation between cardiovascular events and COVID-19 exposure and vaccination: Study
A pilot observational study by the State-run Sri Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Research (SJICSR) has not found any association between premature cardiovascular disease and a prior history of COVID-19 infection, or COVID vaccination. Amid mounting public anxiety over the rising trend of sudden cardiovascular events (heart attack, sudden cardiac death) post-COVID-19 pandemic, the Karnataka government had in February this year set up an expert committee headed by Jayadeva Director K. S. Ravindranath to evaluate the temporal and potential causal links with prior SARS-CoV-2 infection and/or COVID-19 vaccination. The cross-sectional study involving 251 patients, including 32 females, aged below 45 years, was aimed at presenting evidence-based insights, identifying risk factors, and proposing recommendations for surveillance and prevention. The committee submitted its report to Harsh Gupta, Principal Secretary, Health and Family Welfare on July 4. Under-recognised mechanisms 'Although conventional risk factors, such as hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, and smoking, remain prevalent in a majority of the 251 patients, a significant minority of patients presented with none of these, suggesting the possible involvement of novel or under-recognized mechanisms,' Dr Ravindranath told The Hindu. According to the report, while 87 of the patients were diabetic, 102 were hypertensive, 35 were having cholesterol disorder, 40 had family history of heart diseases, 111 were smokers, and 77 patients did not have any of the conventional risk factors. As many as 19 out of 251 patients had a history of previous COVID-19 infection. Of the 19, seven each had diabetes and hypertension, two had a family history, eight had no risk factors. Almost all (249) of the 251 patients had been vaccinated against COVID. While 53 received only one dose, 180 received two doses, and 17 received all three doses of a vaccine. As many as 144 had been vaccinated with Covishield, 64 with Covaxin, and 52 were unaware of which vaccine they had received. Comparative data To compare the risk factor profile of similar premature coronary artery disease patients prior to the pandemic, the team used data from the institute's Premature Coronary Artery Disease (PCAD) among the young registry maintained at the institute between April 1, 2019 and May 31, 2019. As the PCAD registry was maintained for patients aged under 40 years, a subset of patients from the present study aged below 40 years were grouped and compared with the 2019 age and sex-matched population. Analysing all national and international peer reviewed scientific literature, journal articles, clinical studies and clinical registries to study the possible association of sudden cardiovascular events with past history of COVID-19 infection and vaccination, the Jayadeva committee noted that most studies and reports published globally have also not found any causal association between COVID vaccination and sudden cardiovascular events. 'On the contrary, COVID vaccination has been shown to be protective against cardiac events in the long term,' the report stated. No single cause 'Our study has not found any single cause behind the observed rise in sudden cardiac deaths. Rather, it appears to be a multi-factorial issue, with behavioural, genetic, and environmental risks. While in the immediate post-COVID phase, there is an increase in the incidence of sudden cardiovascular events due to a pro-inflammatory state, the same cannot be held to be true in the long term (>1 year). It has been three years since the end of the pandemic,' Dr Ravindranath said. He said current data does not support the belief that 'long COVID' is responsible for the rise in sudden cardiovascular events among the young. 'Rather, a rise in the prevalence of the common risk factors that lead to cardiovascular disease (hypertension, diabetes, smoking , dyslipidemia) is the best explanation for the rise in sudden cardiovascular events. In light of these findings, a multi-faceted public health strategy is essential,' he asserted. Recommendations Pointing out that the strategy should include establishing a robust surveillance system for sudden cardiac deaths, particularly among young adults, the Jayadeva director said implementing autopsy-based registries and integrating early cardiovascular screening at the school level is vital. 'Importantly, large-scale, prospective, multicentric studies are needed to better delineate the long-term cardiovascular effects of both COVID-19 infection and vaccination,' he explained. Recommendations
Hindustan Times
3 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
‘You are insulting scientists': Pralhad Joshi hits out at CM Siddaramaiah over vaccine remarks
Union Minister Pralhad Joshi on Friday launched a scathing attack on Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, accusing him and the Congress party of undermining India's scientific community by casting doubt on the safety of indigenously developed COVID-19 vaccines. Pralhad Joshi (PTI) Also Read - Tejasvi Surya leads call for protest march, demands immediate opening of Bengaluru Metro's Yellow Line What Pralhad Joshi said? Addressing the media in Bengaluru, Joshi said, 'By questioning the efficacy of vaccines that saved crores of lives, the Congress is not just opposing Prime Minister Modi, but is also insulting the very scientists who helped the country fight a global pandemic.' The sharp response comes days after Siddaramaiah expressed concerns about a spike in heart attack deaths in Karnataka's Hassan district, where 22 people reportedly died of sudden cardiac arrests over 40 days. While speaking about the ongoing investigation into these deaths, Siddaramaiah had said, 'We cannot rule out the possibility that COVID-19 vaccines, which were hastily approved and distributed, may have contributed to this trend. A detailed medical review is underway.' He added that a committee led by Dr. C.N. Manjunath, Director of Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, was tasked with submitting a report on the deaths and whether there was any link between the vaccines and cardiac complications. Also Read - Bengaluru man sets fire to relative's home after 7-year loan row, CCTV footage goes viral: Report Reacting to these remarks, Joshi demanded that the Chief Minister apologise to the country's scientific community. 'Siddaramaiah must clarify whether his government officially believes COVID-19 vaccines are responsible for these deaths. If not, he should publicly retract his statements and apologise for spreading doubt.' The BJP leader also contrasted the Congress's past with the current government's achievements. 'Congress ruled this country for 60 years but failed to produce even one indigenous vaccine. Under Prime Minister Modi's leadership, India developed two COVID vaccines, administered over 240 crore doses, and even sent vaccines to 150 countries,' he said. Joshi warned that such statements from top leaders could erode public trust in science and public health initiatives. 'At a time when the world has lauded India's vaccine success story, the Congress party is playing with people's lives for political gain,' he said.
News18
4 hours ago
- News18
You Bought Health Insurance, But Are You Really Covered?
Last Updated: Most young Indians, especially gig workers, don't understand their health insurance until a crisis hits. By then, it's too late to read or fix what's in the fine print. It probably started after COVID. You saw friends struggle to get hospital beds. Bills that wiped out savings. Instagram fundraisers. And you thought let me not be that person. So you finally bought a health insurance policy. Maybe through an agent. Maybe from an app. But now you're staring at words like OPD, pre-authorization, co-pay, sub-limits, day-care, exclusions, and wondering, what exactly did I buy? You're not alone. Most young Indians especially gig workers and first-time policyholders don't fully understand their insurance until a medical crisis hits. And by then, it's too late to fix the fine print. This explainer breaks it all down. No jargon, no scare tactics just what you need to know to get your money's worth and avoid nasty surprises. What Does Health Insurance Actually Cover? At its core, your policy is designed to pay for hospitalization. That means: This is called in-patient care. Everything else like OPD visits, diagnostics, mental health counselling, etc. are often excluded or add-ons. If you didn't specifically buy coverage for OPD, day-care or wellness benefits, you're not covered for basic doctor visits or pharmacy bills. If the hospital isn't empaneled or approval is delayed, you'll have to pay first, claim later. That's called reimbursement. And reimbursement means: Submitting every single bill, test, prescription, and form Waiting 10–30 days Getting only what's 'eligible" (not everything you paid) So yes, cashless is great but only when the paperwork gods align. The Hidden Costs That Eat Into Your Claim Here's where most people get hit. Room Rent Limit: If your policy has a room rent cap (say Rs 3,000/day), but you opt for a Rs 5,000 room, everything doctor fees, tests, surgery charges gets proportionally reduced. It's called the 'room rent ratio trap", and it's brutal. Co-pay Clause: Some policies especially senior citizen or low-premium plans include a co-pay, where you pay a fixed percentage of every bill (often 10–30%). This is permanent. It doesn't go away even if your claim is approved. Sub-limits: Policies often set hard caps on: You can't claim for: What About OPD? Does Insurance Pay for Doctor Visits? Usually, no. Most standard health plans don't cover OPD (Out-Patient Department) expenses, like: Some newer plans and top-ups offer OPD riders but they often cap it at Rs 5,000–10,000 per year and involve reimbursement (not cashless). And mental health? Legally covered under IRDAI rules since 2022 but in practice, most insurers cover only hospitalization, not therapy. Freelancers & Gig Workers: You Need to Read This Twice If you're self-employed: The good news: There are plans tailored for gig workers now. Platforms like Policybazaar, ACKO, and even Swiggy offer micro-insurance or OPD-first plans for gig professionals. The bad news: You need to keep premium payments up to date, or your policy lapses. And lapsed policies restart your waiting periods from scratch. What You Can Do to Actually Be Covered When It Counts Always go for a policy with no room rent cap. It costs slightly more, but avoids huge out-of-pocket deductions. Look for 'no sub-limits" on diseases, tests, and surgeries. Especially if you have family history of diabetes, hypertension, or early surgeries. Add OPD, maternity, or wellness riders if your lifestyle needs it. Check if these are reimbursement-based or cashless. Create a medical file with your ID, policy number, hospital list, and pre-auth contacts. When a medical emergency hits, you don't want to dig through emails. Don't chase the lowest premium. Health insurance is not where you want to save Rs 200 per month and regret it at ICU billing. Upgrade your cover every 3-5 years. A ₹3 lakh plan from 2018 is now a joke. Go minimum ₹5-10 lakh individual cover, or ₹15-20 lakh family floater. What's Changing in 2025? Insurers are bundling preventive check ups, mental health consults, and fitness tracking into new-gen policies. Cashless networks are expanding, but mostly in metros. Smaller towns still face delays. Premiums are rising, especially post-COVID and with lifestyle diseases like PCOS, diabetes, and anxiety on the rise in under-35s. There's also growing awareness. People are no longer buying health plans just for tax benefits under 80D. They want clarity, coverage, and control. Insurance Is a Contract, Not a Magic Wand top videos View all Your health insurance is only as good as your reading of the terms, your planning, and your updates. It won't cover everything. It won't stop emergencies. But it can save you lakhs, if you play smart and stay updated. So before the next flu season, dental pain, or minor surgery lands you in a billing maze, open your policy document. Read the fine print. Ask the dumb questions. Because with insurance, confusion is expensive. Get Latest Updates on Movies, Breaking News On India, World, Live Cricket Scores, And Stock Market Updates. Also Download the News18 App to stay updated! tags : Health Insurance Cover health insurance policy hospital Location : New Delhi, India, India First Published: July 05, 2025, 12:40 IST News explainers You Bought Health Insurance, But Are You Really Covered?
